Hydrogel is a very hydrophilic gel with a three-dimensional network structure, which swells rapidly in water and can keep a lot of water in this swollen state without dissolving. ?

Because of the existence of cross-linked network, hydrogel can swell and retain a lot of water, and the water absorption is closely related to the degree of cross-linking. The higher the degree of crosslinking, the lower the water absorption. This characteristic is very similar to soft tissue.

The water content in hydrogel can be as low as a few percent or as high as 99%. The aggregation state of gel is neither completely solid nor completely liquid. The behavior of solid is that it can keep a certain shape and volume under certain conditions, and the behavior of liquid is that solute can diffuse or permeate from hydrogel. ?

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine reported that they have developed a new hydrogel biomaterial, which can be injected into the pores of bones during cartilage repair surgery to help stimulate patients' bone marrow to produce stem cells and grow new cartilage.

In clinical trials, the coverage rate of new cartilage reached 86%, and the postoperative pain was greatly reduced. The paper was published in Scientific Translational Medicine published on October 9th, 2065438+2003/KLOC-0. ?

Erich also said that the research team is developing the next generation of graft materials, including hydrogels and adhesives, which will be integrated into one material. In addition, they are still studying joint lubrication and anti-inflammatory technology.

The latest research in Canada shows that hydrogel is not only beneficial to stem cell transplantation, but also can accelerate the repair of eye and nerve injuries. The research team pointed out that jelly-like hydrogel is an ideal medium for stem cell transplantation, which can help stem cells survive in the body and repair damaged tissues.